Leonard leads Spurs' rout of Clippers

[April 25, 2015]  SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard was handed the NBA defensive player of the year award Friday night and then showed his versatility at both ends of the court.

The San Antonio forward scored a career-best 32 points and had three steals as the Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 100-73 to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Leonard, MVP of the 2014 NBA Finals after the Spurs won their fifth title, had 13 points in the third quarter, outscoring the Clippers by two.

"I don't know if he came out here tonight to show he's more than just a defender," said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who gave Leonard the trophy. "He put on a show. Kawhi was incredible."

The 6-foot-7 Leonard converted 13 of 18 shots from field, including three 3-pointers, but his most spectacular play was an alley-oop dunk.

On a fast break late in the first half, Spurs guard Danny Green threw an alley-oop a little behind Leonard as he swooped in on the right wing. Leonard reached behind his head with his huge right hand, snagged the ball and made the dunk with 2:28 left.

Forward Boris Diaw produced 15 points and six rebounds for the Spurs. Green scored 11, making three 3-pointers. Guard Manu Ginobili led the Spurs in assists with six.

Spurs point guard Tony Parker returned to the lineup after leaving Game 2 in the fourth quarter with tightness in his right Achilles. Parker has also experienced problems with his left ankle and thigh. He scored six points, hitting 3 of 11 shots from the field.

The Clippers shot just 34.1 percent from the floor in their worst-ever playoff loss. Forward Blake Griffin and guard Chris Paul scored 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Paul hit 3 of 11 shots, mostly while guarded by Green.

"I thought he guarded the hell out of Chris," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "As well as I've seen maybe this year."

Rivers said poor shooting seemed to frustrate the Clippers.

"We've had this a couple of times this year where we lose our spirit because we can't make shots," Rivers said. "Every time we missed a shot, we played less and less defense."

Before the game, Rivers said the award Leonard received came "to our dismay," laughing as he spoke. The Clippers, after all, had a candidate of their own. Center DeAndre Jordan finished third.

But Rivers went on to explain one reason that Leonard is so effective: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich rotates him on different players. Leonard guarded shooting guard J.J. Redick and sometimes Paul.

"What Pop has done an excellent job of is moving him around," Rivers said. "He's like Deion Sanders. You're trying to find where the hell he's at in the backfield. He keeps putting him on different guys."

Leonard demonstrated his defensive prowess less than a minute after the alley-oop dunk. The NBA leader in steals deflected a pass by Redick and raced downcourt for a layup, assisted by Parker.

The Spurs led by eight at halftime. Then Leonard scored 13 of the Spurs' first 15 points in the third quarter.

"I thought Kawhi Leonard at the start of the third quarter changed the game," Rivers said. "He was absolutely sensational. I think he was trying to tell all the voters he's a player, not just a defensive player."

Leonard was a power forward, an inside player, at San Diego State. He has improved his skills on the perimeter working with the Spurs' developmental staff.

"He comes in early," Popovich said. "He stays late."
 

NOTES: When Spurs F Tim Duncan plays in his next game, on Sunday, he will be 39 years old. His birthday is Saturday. ... Duncan had his 160th career playoff double-double (28 points and 11 rebounds), which is tops in league history, during the Spurs' Game 2 victory. Magic Johnson is next with 157. ... Clipper F Blake Griffin's triple-double -- 29 points, 12 rebounds and 11assists - in Game 2 was only the second in franchise playoff history. The first was by Buffalo G Randy Smith in 1976, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The Clippers played in Buffalo, as the Braves, at the time, before moving to San Diego in 1978 and to Los Angeles in 1984. ... Game 1 of this series was on Sunday night, the last of four games that day and scheduling that Clippers coach Doc Rivers suggested was a typical lack of respect for the Spurs, who are defending their fifth NBA title. The series has a prominent spot this coming Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Central on ABC.

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